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What We Believe

About God God exists eternally as one God in three persons: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (This understanding has historically been described as the Trinity.) God is the Creator and Sustainer of the universe.

About Jesus Jesus is the Son of God, the second person of the Trinity. He was born to the Virgin Mary by miraculous conception. Being both fully God and fully human, He lived a sinless life, perfectly revealing the Father. By His suffering, death and resurrection, he provided the only way to salvation. He rose from the dead after three days, and ascended to heaven where He rules and reigns with the Father. He will return again to earth and rule as the supreme Judge and King of all.

About the Holy Spirit The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. His inner prompting makes people aware of their need for Jesus. He is given to every believer at the moment of salvation, to empower them to live a holy life and to give spiritual gifts to be used in service for Christ. The holy Spirit leads all believers into truth, and believers become like Christ as a result of submitting to His leading.

About Humanity Men and women are created by God in His image and all are loved by God. God created us to love us and to have a personal relationship with us. We are made to know God personally and to glorify God in our lives.

Sin Each of us are born with sin that is within us. As a result of the fall that took place in Eden at the beginning of creation, we are born with an inner attitude of rebellion against God’s leadership in our lives. This rebellion is called sin. Sin separates us from God. No one has lived a sinless life (except Jesus) and therefore all of us need God’s forgiveness and salvation through Christ.

About Salvation Salvation is a gift of God, which we receive through faith in Jesus Christ. We receive this gift by grace – it is not earned or deserved. When we call on Christ to forgive us of our sins and to become our Lord, He does —and we become part of his family, destined to have a personal relationship with him and the promise of eternal life in His heavenly kingdom.

About the Bible Some say the Bible contains the word of God, some say the Bible is about the word of God –We believe the Bible is the word of God. The Bible is God’s word to each of us. The Bible was written by human authors under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. The scriptures are the full and final authority on all matters of faith and practice.

What do Methodists believe? United Methodists profess the historic Christian faith. We encourage you to read more at the Website of the UNITED METHODIST CHURCH. We also encourage you to attend our worship services or other programs and ask lots of questions. Go ahead – be nosy!

Confirmation Youth, who were baptized as infants, have the opportunity to publicly confirm the vows made on their behalf.

Baptism Holy Baptism is a Covenant between an individual and God. It is God’s word to us, proclaiming our adoption by grace and our word to God, promising our response of faith and love. First Church welcomes your inquiry about the Sacrament of Baptism and we look forward to assisting your family with planning this special day. It is our desire to make your baptism a most memorable occasion. Persons of all ages can be baptized at First Church. We practice both sprinkling and immersion. The United Methodist Church recognizes baptisms from other faiths and churches and therefore does not “re-baptize”. If you are interested in Baptism, call the church office or speak to the pastor.